By Lloyd Jones

Worn and corroded flexi-hoses are a “ticking time bomb under the sink” causing millions of dollars in household water damage across Australia, a study warns.

The average cost of a burst flexi-hose insurance claim is more than $27,500, a Suncorp Insurance survey of more than 22,000 home claims involving water damage has found.

The six-month survey inspected customers’ flexi-hoses and found on average about 30 per cent needed replacing, around two in every home.

The simple plumbing fixture common under kitchen, bathroom and laundry sinks is a rubber hose reinforced externally with stainless steel webbing and fitted with clamped stainless-steel fittings on either end.

Plumbers like their flexibility, low cost and ease of installation.

“Shockingly, on average a flexi-hose claim costs over $27,500 and can take months to repair,” Suncorp Insurance head of assessing and supply chain Steven Hussey said.

In open-plan designed homes the water can easily spread to different areas, meaning repair times and costs surge, sometimes into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“All it takes is 10 minutes every six months to pop your head under the sink and check to see if you can spot any fraying, rust, corrosion, kinking or twisting with your flexi-hoses,” Mr Hussey said.

If such damage is found householders are advised to call a licensed plumber to check and replace the hoses.

The insurance industry was keen to raise awareness around the issue, given more and more water damage claims were coming through, Mr Hussey said.

“A big part of this is how do we raise awareness more broadly around creating routines to check these things on a regular basis to try and avoid the inconvenience of these things happening.”

The study found one in 10 water damage claims were due to burst flexi-hoses and the cost of home water damage claims rose steeply during holidays when residents were often away.

Flexi-hose claims generally involved a large amount of water escaping quickly, Suncorp assessing specialist and licensed plumber Rebecca Senyard said.

“A burst flexi-hose left undiscovered for 24 hours can release enough water to fill a household swimming pool,” she said.

“The damage they cause inside your home, to furniture and belongings, is mind blowing.”

Master Plumbers Association of Queensland deputy CEO Ernie Kretschmer said not all flexi-hoses were created equal, but they should all be of a minimum standard.

“There’s nothing wrong with the flexi connectors themselves, like everything else they have to be maintained.”

The hoses should be inspected at least every 12 months, he said.

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